


Tongue-Tied

by JackEPeace



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: AU, F/F, academy au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 08:46:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10659072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JackEPeace/pseuds/JackEPeace
Summary: "Are you okay?" Trip pushes back on her shoulder and she swats him away. "I think you're drooling.""Shut up," Daisy grumbles. "I'm pretty sure you'd rather look at her than look at Dr. Hall, too."





	Tongue-Tied

**Author's Note:**

> I got a prompt on tumblr and it got way too long, which is the story of my life. Anyways the prompt was about Jemma being Daisy's new science teacher and Daisy having a crush on her and I thought...perfect time for an Academy AU! 
> 
> So here you are! An Academy AU where I've once again played fast and loose with any sort of canon as far as geography and Academy curriculum are concerned. 
> 
> The title comes from the song "Tongue-Tied" by Grouplove which is pretty much the soundtrack for this story in my brain.

Daisy has been at the Academy for nearly two weeks and it's finally starting to feel a little bit like the place that she's meant to be. Honestly, she still has her reservations; her parents hadn't exactly been thrilled when SHIELD had first approached her as a potential recruit. Of course, there had been a multitude of reasons that her parents hadn't been thrilled at that moment; she'd been suspended for the third time in as many months for getting into the school's mainframe and her principal had finally used the word 'suspension.' Not to mention those unfortunately worded cease-and-desist letters they'd been getting from their Internet provider. Daisy hadn't exactly been winning the daughter of the year award even before Agent Coulson had knocked on the front door and offered her a spot at the Academy so she could put her abilities to good use. But Jiaying and Cal had agreed to let her go anyway and of course Daisy misses being away from home but she's seventeen and it's about time she starts spreading her wings and the Academy beats the hell out of the high school she'd come from.

But still, reservations and all that. Her roommate, Raina, isn't the easiest person to get along with and while Daisy wishes she could spend the majority of her time in the communications courses and trying to bust her way into the SHIELD mainframe (a challenge, finally!) the Academy insists that their agents be well rounded and versed in a variety of subjects. Daisy doesn't mind the ops classes, even if the constant drills and pull-ups are making her muscles hurt in ways she'd never known before. But the science and technology classes? Daisy could do without those.

Despite her reservations, Daisy makes herself show up to class dutifully every day, taking a spot toward the back of the auditorium and trying not to let her mind wander. Coulson had made it clear that he'd thought she could be a great agent and one day possibly a valuable asset to his own, small team. But only if she made it through her time at the Academy with a good record and nothing besmirching her reputation. So cutting class? Probably out of the question.

It's not that Daisy dislikes her introduction to biochemistry class it's just that…she doesn't necessary understand it and Dr. Hall really isn't the best teacher. It's obvious that he's frustrated to find himself teaching an introductory course and he spends the majority of his time looking at the students with barely concealed frustration and confusion.

For the first time in the history of her time at the Academy -so, you know, fourteen days- Daisy arrives for class before Dr. Hall. She takes her usual seat beside Trip and Sharon and gets out her notebook reserved for the class and full of mostly unintelligible notes and question marks. And doodles, which are very important.

A murmur starts to spread through the room when it's time for class to begin and Dr. Hall hasn't yet arrived. The man has never been late or even on time before and Daisy had been practically convinced that he lived in the lecture hall so he could never miss a minute. Nearly ten minutes pass and even though talk of leaving the auditorium starts to spread among her peers, no one actually gets up to leave, too afraid of what might happen if Dr. Hall chose that moment to walk in.

When the door finally opens it's not Dr. Hall who walks in but a young woman that Daisy has never set eyes on before. Which is a shame, really, because she's definitely a sight to set your eyes on.

She's wearing a lab coat with the SHIELD logo on the pocket and her hair is swinging in a loose, messy ponytail behind her as she hurries into the room. She has books and folders clutched to her chest and a bag bumping against her hip and a flustered expression on her fetching features.

Daisy perks up right away, especially when she drops the books onto Dr. Hall's desk and drops her bag into the swivel chair. The woman turns to face the rows of seats and the students looking at her with curiosity, plastering a nervous smile onto her face. She's young, that much is obvious and she reaches up to push a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Good afternoon everyone," she says, though the words come out more like a squeak than anything else. She clears her throat, stepping further away from the desk. "I'm Dr. Jemma Simmons from Sci-Tech and I…Dr. Hall has been pulled into a mission so I've been asked to take over his introductory class for the time being."

Daisy is leaning so far forward in her seat she thinks she's about to topple forward into the row in front of her. What a wonderful turn of events. Introduction to Biochem might just have become her most favorite class ever.

Trip gives her a look out of the corner of his eye. "Are you okay?" He pushes back on her shoulder and she swats him away. "I think you're drooling."

"Shut up," Daisy grumbles. "I'm pretty sure you'd rather look at her than look at Dr. Hall too."

Trip doesn't argue with that assessment. Who in their right mind would?

Dr. Jemma Simmons tells them a little bit more about herself, apparently oblivious to her nervous rambling and the curious whispers spreading throughout the students. She's been at the Academy nearly a year, already has two PhDs and has recently been assisting SHIELD with alien DNA recovered from the incident in Sokovia. Daisy is pretty sure Jemma means this to be interesting or maybe even to reassure them and convince the students that she's qualified to teach this class but she can see the see the expressions on her classmates' faces: none of them are impressed. She thinks envious is the right word.

Almost on cue, a hand shoots up in the front row. "You don't look like a professor," Callie Hannigan remarks. "You don't even look old enough to be out of middle school." She sneers and predictably she earns a view mumbles of agreement.

Jemma's expression falters and she looks a bit like a deer in the headlights. Daisy tosses her pen down in Callie's direction and it's hard to say who is more surprised when it actually hits her in the back of the head. Callie turns around, indignant and scowling, and Daisy manages to recover from her own surprise by just glaring at her. Even Dr. Simmons herself looks surprised, looking up in the direction the pen had just come from. Daisy is pretty sure that the somewhat guilty expression on her face gives her away.

But Jemma only smiles, clearing her throat. "Yes, well, let's get started with class, shall we?" She turns toward the board, picking up one of the markers left there by Dr. Hall. "I believe you were covering the discovery of the genome known to cause abilities in certain Powered individuals."

Class is, for the first time, not terrible. Listening to Jemma talk is far more enjoyable than listening to Dr. Hall and it's obvious that she knows her stuff. Daisy is most definitely impressed, if a bit confused as to how all that scientific knowledge and understanding can fit into one person's skull. Jemma talks with her hands, though she catches herself halfway through class and stuffs her hands into the pockets of her lab coat, taking them out only to scribble something quickly on the whiteboard.

When class finally finishes, Callie and her friends are the first out the door. Normally Daisy would be right there with them but she finds herself lingering, taking extra time to pack up her things before moving toward the exit. It's not like she actually expects…anything. But still. She doesn't want Dr. Jemma Simmons to think that she's desperate to get out of her class or anything.

Daisy is almost to the door with Trip and Sharon when Jemma calls, "Oh, um, may I speak with you?" and all three of time turn back to face her.

Trip and Sharon exchange a glance and Sharon rolls her eyes, shaking her head as they leave Daisy standing there by the door. Jemma smiles, tentative and nervous, the way she'd addressed the class when she'd walked in.

"I think this is yours," Jemma says, stepping closer to hand Daisy back the pen she'd thrown earlier at Callie. "Did Dr. Hall make a habit of encouraging students to throw projectiles at each other?"

Daisy barely manages to hide her smile. She should not find it as adorable as she does that Jemma says all of that when a few words would do.

She should not find anything her new professor does adorable.

"Well," Jemma says when Daisy doesn't answer, "I think I can let it slide just this once. But don't make a habit of it."

Daisy shrugs, slipping the pen into her back pocket. "No promises. So," she says, "any idea how long you'll be covering for Dr. Hall?"

Jemma shakes her head. "No. I suppose I need to go through his lesson plans and lecture notes." Her brow furrows as she considers this. "I have my own classes to get to…"

"So you're a student too?" Daisy lifts her eyebrows in surprise. "And they asked you to cover a class for one of the professors?"

Jemma actually blushes. "I…I've been making my way quickly through the curriculum," she mutters.

"How old are you?" Daisy hopes that it's awe that Jemma can hear in her voice and not the same sneering doubt that Callie had used. Because seriously. How old is this girl?

There's a pause and Daisy thinks that Jemma isn't actually going to answer. "Eighteen," she says finally. "I…" She shrugs, looking like she's not entirely sure what to say next.

Daisy whistles, shaking her head. "And you already have two PhDs and you're working with SHIELD? Impressive."

"But I've never taught a class before," Jemma points out with a hopeful smile. "So there's that."

"Finally something we have in common," Daisy teases. "Though I feel like I need to confess something: I flunked my last science class."

Jemma looks at her with interest. "Oh? Where were you studying?"

Daisy makes a face. "Alexander Hamilton High School."

For a second Jemma looks confused and then Daisy's meaning dawns on her. She nods slowly but her smile is still in place. "Well I'm sure it was interesting," she says kindly. "I've never done that."

"Flunked a class?" Daisy hazards.

Jemma shakes her head. "Gone to a real high school."

Daisy finds it interesting to be looking at someone so like her but so different they might as well be from two completely different planets. But even still, she thinks that she's going to like Dr. Jemma Simmons.

Not that it matters. Especially since she really needs to start calling her _professor_.

* * *

 

"Really, Daisy?" Sharon rolls her eyes when Daisy leads them to the third row tomorrow when they show up for Introduction to Biochemistry. Early.

Daisy is pretty sure that her confused expression is very convincing. "What?" She sits down, taking out her notebook. "We have to take this class. Might as well enjoy it."

Trip can only shake his head. "Oh, I'm sure we will."

Jemma arrives late but only by a few minutes, looking more pulled together than she did when she showed up yesterday. She spots Daisy and Daisy is pretty sure that the quickest smile flits across her face. But maybe she's just imagining things. "Let's pick up where we left off yesterday, shall we?" Jemma says as she turns back toward the whiteboard. "No need to waste any time."

Admittedly Daisy is more interested in Jemma than what she's talking about but she does her best to pay attention, dutifully taking notes and trying to wrap her mind around the concepts of Inhuman genomes and the implications they have on the Sokovia Accords.

This is how the class goes for the next several days and Daisy wonders if it's against SHIELD code or whatever to hope that the mission keeping Dr. Hall away from the Academy and in the field goes on for quite some time. It's not like she wants him to get hurt or anything…she just wants him to be kept very busy. So that Jemma has to continue to take over his class. Is that so much to ask?

At the end of Jemma's first week, Daisy finds herself lingering once more, holding her notebook tightly in her hands. She has no idea why there are nervous butterflies flapping around in her stomach. Sure Jemma is beautiful and perfect and they're practically the same age but Jemma is still her teacher and she shouldn't have nervous butterflies when staying behind to ask her teacher a question.

"Dr. Simmons?" It feels weird to address her as such but Daisy makes herself say the words anyway because it feels even weirder to think about calling her Jemma. Even if she does with her friends. "Could I ask you a question?"

"Oh, you don't have to call me-" Jemma stops, considering her words. She frowns and then waves her hand. "Jemma is fine," she decides.

Daisy bites the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. She should not be smiling. She should not have nervous butterflies. It doesn't matter. "I have a question about something you talked about today?"

Jemma gives her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Daisy, could it wait until Monday? I actually have a lab to get to across campus and some samples to check and-"

"Oh, yeah, it's fine," Daisy assures her quickly. "I can walk with you, if you want." She winces and quickly adds, "You know, to ask my question…"

Thankfully Jemma doesn't seem to find anything odd about the offer or notice Daisy's attempts to smooth over her previous words. She just nods absently as she gathers up her things. "If you like."

They head out of the building together, walking into the bright sunshine and perfect day currently gracing the SHIELD Academy. As always, the campus is busy. There never seems to be a shortage of activity going on: students heading to classes, training exercises taking place, new gadgets being tested with or without permission. Predictably, Daisy's sole focus is on the person walking in step beside her.

"So what kind of samples?" Daisy questions as they walk. "Alien samples?"

Jemma laughs softly, shaking her head. "Sadly, no. It's all much more mundane than that."

"I remember seeing the news reports about the Battle of New York and all that with Iron Man but…it still seemed a little impossible to believe, all that stuff about aliens," Daisy says. "And then SHIELD comes knocking on my door and surprise: aliens are real. And Inhumans and superheroes and…it's a little hard to wrap my head around sometimes. Cool but weird."

"I know exactly what you mean," Jemma agrees. "It's a little difficult to reconcile SHIELD science with the science I'd learned as a kid. The possibilities are much less finite than previously thought."

Daisy wonders if Jemma's eyes really do develop a sort of sparkle when she talks about science or if that's just the sun. "So you really didn't go to a normal high school?"

Jemma shakes her head. "No. I already had two PhDs by the time I was seventeen and I was considering going back for a third when SHIELD found me and invited me to come to the Academy. It seemed as good a prospect as any."

"Well, personally, I feel sorry for you," Daisy says solemnly, laying a hand on Jemma's shoulder. "You've really been missing out. Cafeteria food, nothing like it in the world."

Jemma is looking at her, eyes slightly narrowed, like she can't figure out if she's being teased or not. "Really?" Even her tone is guarded.

Daisy swallows down her smirk. "Oh yeah," she assures Jemma. "There's something to be said for governmentally funded food."

Jemma finally rolls her eyes, apparently having decided that Daisy isn't serious. She nudges Daisy playfully with her elbow. Daisy grins and the butterflies are back.

"Well, I've got to get to my lab," Jemma says, pointing toward the building they've come to a stop in front of. "Oh! You never asked me your question."

Honestly Daisy can't remember the academia related question she was planning to ask Jemma because there are so many different ones floating through her mind now. "Oh I…" Daisy just waves it away. "It's not important. I can ask you Monday."

Jemma smiles and nods. "All right then. I'll see you in class on Monday then, Miss Johnson."

It takes Daisy only a second to realize that the sudden formality in Jemma's tone is just a ruse. She nods and teases, "You too, Dr. Simmons."

For a moment they both linger in front of the building but it's Jemma who turns away first, giving Daisy a parting smile before disappearing into the building.

Daisy can't help but wonder if Coulson would consider having a major crush on her professor to be a mark against her Academy record.

* * *

 

"Are you actually doing your homework?" Lincoln is looking at her like she's grown an extra head and Daisy just ignores him, focusing on finishing the response she's been writing in her biochemistry textbook. He presses a hand to her forehead. "Are you sick?"

Daisy whacks his hand away. Lincoln laughs and Trip, Sharon and the others are quick to join in. "Don't get too excited, Campbell," Sharon remarks. "It's just because she has a crush on the teacher. She wants to make a good impression."

Daisy glares at her, shutting her book. "This is the last time I try to get anything done around you people," she mutters. She should have known better than to let Trip convince her to bring her work out into the common room.

"Aw, girl, don't be like that." There's something apologetic in Trip's tone and the smile on his face. "We're just giving you a hard time."

"I noticed that," Daisy retorts. "And I don't have a crush on Jem- Dr. Simmons."

It's too late. Any type of credibility she might have had is gone now. Sharon and Lincoln exchange looks and Sharon clears her throat to hide her laughter. "Oh, so it's Jemma now?" She takes a sip of her beer. "Thinking about transferring to Sci-Tech?"

Lincoln shakes his head. "No way. She'd miss her precious computer too much."

"Well, love makes you do funny things," Sharon observes, pointing with her bottle toward Daisy's meticulously done homework. "Right, Johnson?"

Daisy gets to her feet, tucking her book under her arm. "You guys are the worst." Of course there's a hint of affection in her voice for her terrible, no good friends.

Daisy retreats into her room, ignoring Rania working on something on her computer, and flops down rather dramatically onto her bed. Raina only rolls her eyes. "Well you can take the girl out of high school but you can't take the dramatics of high school out of the girl," she says dryly.

For a minute Daisy thinks about throwing her pillow at Raina but decides against it. She's not entirely sure that Raina wouldn't decide to tear her arm off. And she really needs her arm to do her biochemistry homework.

* * *

 

It's been nearly two weeks since Jemma has taken over for Dr. Hall and Daisy sincerely hopes that Dr. Hall is kept busy in the field for the entirety of the semester. Not only are her grades improving because she's actually paying attention and understands what's going on in class but there's also the added bonus of getting to see Jemma every day.

Daisy always lingers after class is over. She starts by using the day's lesson as a pretense, pulling out her notes and going over them with Jemma if there's time. If there isn't -if Jemma has another class or responsibility to get to, and there's usually something because she seems to be SHIELD's scientific golden girl- then Daisy will usually walk with Jemma across campus until one of them gets where they're going. Outside of the classroom, they don't often talk about science or assignments or homework, the pretense dropped for the time being.

"Okay, so let me get this straight," Daisy says during one such walk across the campus on another beautifully perfect day, "you've never had any fun before."

Jemma's eyes get comically wide. "I've had fun before!" She protests. "I have fun all the time!"

"Okay but not like normal people fun," Daisy amends with a cheeky smile. "Like going out to the movies with friends-"

"I've seen movies."

"Or going for pizza and then driving around aimlessly-"

"I've had pizza."

"Or playing video games or going to a party or just going out with someone and doing nothing and having a great time," Daisy finishes in a rush so that Jemma can't interject her misguided views on the subject.

Jemma gives her a look. "Those are some oddly specific requirements."

Daisy shakes her head vehemently. "No! It's just fun! Like typical teenager stupid fun." She shrugs. "I guess you were too busy being Hermione to have fun like the rest of us Muggles."

Jemma bristles at the comparison. "As I'm sure you can imagine you're not the first person to think of that comment," she mumbles stiffly.

"I just meant like a you're the brightest witch of your age type thing," Daisy amends quickly, offering Jemma an apologetic smile. "You were off solving the world's mysteries and I was eating bad pizza with my friends and changing the links on my school's website to YouTube videos of 'Never Gonna Give You Up.'"

Jemma laughs and Daisy thinks it's probably the best sound she's ever heard. Not because it means that Jemma probably isn't mad at her but because it's just a great sound. The type of sound Daisy thinks you could never get tired of.

"Well I suppose you get points for creativity," Jemma says. "So let's do it then."

Daisy blinks. "Rick-roll the Academy?" Sometimes she has trouble following Jemma's rapidly firing neurons.

Jemma shakes her head and the laugh is back. "No. Have bad pizza. Drive around aimlessly. Go to a movie You know," Jemma teases, "have fun."

It sounds like a date. God Daisy wants it to be a date. She's too afraid to hear Jemma say out loud that there are a multitude of reasons why things could never work out between them and ruin this moment, this way that she's feeling now, before it's even really started.

"Okay, challenge accepted," Daisy says instead. "Friday night. You, me, bad pizza and normal teenage fun."

Jemma nods. "Deal."

* * *

 

"So I was right about you," Daisy can't help but gloat, "you've never had any fun."

Daisy is getting used to Jemma's eyerolls. She's really good at them. Better than most people. "Has it ever occurred to you that this might not be everyone's idea of fun?"

"Psh, that's crazy talk." Daisy brushes aside Jemma's insinuation. "And I thought you were supposed to be the smart one here."

As soon as Daisy has ascertained that Jemma had never been bowling before, plans for the night had become perfectly clear in her mind. Their definitely-not-a-date would include bowling and hopefully because Jemma had never been bowling before Daisy would make herself look incredibly cool by knocking down a few pins. And she has hopes that she can convince Jemma that it's perfectly normal to bowl with the bumpers up and that everyone does it, just not those painfully inept at bowling.

Jemma let's out a snort of laughter, shaking her head as she finishes tying on her bowling shoes. Daisy has never seen her outside of her lab coat before and it's a nice look: jeans and a red sweater, far more casual than anything Daisy has seen her wear on Academy grounds. It even makes her bowling shoes look cute. Almost.

Daisy gets to her feet, selecting a ball from the carousel at the front of their lane. "Okay, allow me to teach you proper technique."

"I'm pretty sure the basics are quite simple," Jemma remarks but she comes to join Daisy at the lane anyway and Daisy can see just a hint of curiosity making her eyes shine. "Just roll the ball and knock down the pins."

"Well, there's...no, that's pretty much it," Daisy agrees with a shrug, gracelessly tossing her ball down the vague center of their lane.

The bumpers save her ball from going into the gutter and she manages to knock down several pins. Score. She knew the bumpers were a good idea. She makes a show of brushing off her hands, an exaggeratedly smug expression on her face. "Nothing to it."

Jemma is smiling so Daisy thinks this definitely-not-a-date is off to a great start.

Thankfully Jemma proves to be just about as skilled at bowling as Daisy. If it weren't for the bumpers Daisy thinks their scores would be pretty pathetic indeed, especially when they eventually give up the pretense of form all together and try to find new and creative ways of tossing the balls down the lane. The exasperated eye-rolls they get from the employees are definitely something Daisy is used to.

Before the end of their game, Jemma manages to bowl a strike, letting out a squeal of excitement and bouncing back on the balls of her feet. She throws her arms around Daisy excitedly, giving her a quick squeeze and she's already moved away by the time Daisy can even process what's happening. Immediately she misses the sensation of Jemma's arms around her and the brief, warm weight of her.

"I can't wait to tell Fitz," Jemma is saying to herself, still smiling at her success and thankfully unaware of the slightly dazed and disappointed look on Daisy's face. "You're right: this is fun." She glances back at Daisy who musters a smile of agreement.

Daisy nods, turning back to the carousel and grabbing the first bowling ball she can get her hands on. "Yeah," she agrees quietly, "it is."

In fact, it's the most fun definitely-not-a-date she's ever been on.

By the time their lane time is up, Daisy feels like her face hurts from smiling and her sides from all the laughing that she's been doing. She drops down into the uncomfortable plastic seat beside Jemma, who is already slipping off the ridiculous bowling shoes. "So, I seem to remember something about being promised terrible pizza?" Jemma raises an eyebrow.

An idea clicks in Daisy's mind and she smiles. "I have a plan."

* * *

 

Jemma has the car but after a few minutes of wheedling and some excellently executed puppy-dog eyes, Daisy finds herself behind the wheel, heading away from the bowling alley and back toward the Academy's campus. The car is full of the smell of melting cheese and freshly baked crust, delicious enough to make Daisy's mouth water and to almost convince her that the bowling alley pizza will live up to the smells.

She bypasses the Academy, skirting around the campus and heading beyond and up until the car is parked facing the campus below, which stretches out before them in an array of twinkling lights. Jemma gets out of the car, admiring the view. "I had no idea you could see the campus from up here."

Daisy shrugs, reaching into the backseat to grab the pizza box. "I found this spot on like my second day? I just needed some space and started walking and ta da." She gestures at the sprawling campus below. "You can see everything."

"There's the lab," Jemma says with a touch of affection, pointing to one of the larger buildings. "And the common area. I go there after classes for tea sometimes."

Daisy hops up onto the hood of the car, dropping the pizza box down beside her. She pats the space beside her. Jemma gives her a dubious look. "This seems like a good way to end up with dents in the bonnet," she grumbles.

"It's fine," Daisy assures her. "Fun, remember?"

Jemma climbs onto the hood beside her with no further cajoling necessary. Daisy flips open the pizza box and pulls out a slice. "Get ready to have your mind blown." She hands the slice over to Jemma and takes another for herself.

Jemma takes a bite and wrinkles her nose. "You're right. This is pretty terrible."

Daisy nods in agreement, taking a bite of her own. "Yet strangely delicious."

Jemma doesn't look entirely sold on that aspect. But she does finish her first slice, reaching for another and they sit like that for a few minutes, enjoying the silence of the night around them and the sparkling lights below.

"So what did you need space from?" Jemma questions and off Daisy's confused look she clarifies, "You said you found this view because you needed space. Not that I mean to pry."

"Oh." Daisy shrugs, reaching for a second slice of pizza. "I guess it was just an adjustment coming to the Academy. High school one day and then the next...sharing a room with a stranger, learning all about aliens and people with powers and biochemistry." She makes an exaggerated face like she's just taken a bite of something sour and the expression is completely for Jemma's benefit.

Jemma nods. "It can be a lot to process," she agrees. "It was strange for me to be in a place where people were my age again." Daisy makes the face again and Jemma just nudges her playfully. "Do you miss it?"

Quickly Daisy shakes her head. "High school? No. I've never been much of a school person so at least I can actually take classes that encourage me to poke through the code in different programs." She pauses, considering how much she wants to add. "I do miss my parents, though. I think they're still probably pissed at me."

Jemma furrows her brow and Daisy relays the story of the many school suspensions and her apparent inability to follow even the simplest rules. It hadn't seemed like a big deal at the time but telling the story to Jemma, all Daisy can think about is how much of an idiot she is.

"My mom has always had a huge distrust of SHIELD," Daisy finishes. "And she was the one who thought it was a good idea for me to come here. See? Pissed."

Jemma gives her a sympathetic smile, laying her hand over Daisy's. "No," she says softly. "I think she just wanted to do what was best for you."

Even though Daisy has had the same thought, it still sounds better coming from Jemma. Almost believable.

"So what about you?" Daisy questions, tearing her uneaten pizza crust into pieces and tossing them off into the bushes. "How did the brightest witch of her age end up working for SHIELD?"

At least this time the comment earns Daisy a bit of a smile and one of Jemma's famous eyerolls. She tells the story of her own accelerated schooling, how she'd all but skipped high school in any traditional platform, alternating between seeing high school tutors and taking classes at the university until even they hadn't been sure what to do with her and SHIELD had come knocking on the door promising the keys to the universe. And, so far, they've delivered.

"I never really thought about what I was missing," Jemma admitted. "I just wanted to know as much as I could and I couldn't understand why other people were so content not knowing...everything. But now it does seem a bit like a tragedy that I've missed out on bowling and terrible pizza," Jemma jokes.

"And good views," Daisy adds, gesturing to the sights around them. "Don't forget about that."

Jemma smiles softly. "And good company," she adds quietly.

Her hand is still resting over Daisy's and Jemma doesn't move when Daisy leans in closer and their lips brush together. And then Jemma is kissing her back and it's perfect, it's like fire through her muscles and fireworks in her brain and electricity in her blood.

And Jemma is definitely kissing her and Daisy has definitely never felt so amazing. Which only makes it all the more confusing when Jemma pulls away suddenly, turning her head away. It's more than surprise that Daisy feels spreading through her chest; it's disappointment and a creeping sense of dread.

Her lips are still tingling with the memory of kissing Jemma even as Daisy hears herself asking, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No," Jemma says quickly, looking back toward Daisy. Even though she's not meeting her eyes. "I...I can't do this, Daisy," she says quietly.

Daisy swallows, pursing her lips. "I...okay…?"

When Jemma finally meets her eyes her expression is hesitant, apologetic. "I'm still technically your teacher," her voice is quiet but her words are unmistakable. "I can't do this. It's not right."

Daisy wants to ask how right it is to have a teacher her age and how that fits in with the Academy's policies. How fair is it? And how fair is it that she feels this way about Jemma and isn't supposed to do anything about it.

But she doesn't say any of that. Because what's the point. Daisy just nods, sliding off the hood of the car. "Yeah, I get it," she says as she looks down at her feet. "You're right."

"Daisy…" For a second Daisy thinks that Jemma is going to change her mind, that she's going to take back everything she said and pull Daisy in for another kiss. But Jemma just keeps her hands bunched in her lap. "I'm sorry. I had such a nice time tonight and-" She stops, no doubt seeing the look on Daisy's face that doesn't exactly encourage such comments. "I can drive us back."

Daisy shrugs. "I can walk," she tells Jemma. "It's not far."

She takes off before Jemma can say something to make her change her mind. Not that Daisy thinks there's much that can really change things.

* * *

 

At least Trip doesn't seem to mind letting Daisy hang out in his room for the duration of the weekend, offering no commentary about the fact that Daisy spends most of the time curled up in his bed watching without comment as he plays video games with Mack. Neither of them say anything or ask Daisy what's got her so down. The fact that no one says anything about biochemistry is a pretty good indication that they already know.

Monday morning, Daisy is back to her old habits of dragging her feet before heading into class. Even Sharon is holding back her usual comments, which makes Daisy assume there's some sort of group chat going on behind her back in which everyone was expressly forbidden from jokes or science-related comments of any kind. Daisy kinda loves her friends.

Daisy is still thinking about skipping class all together -really, what could one time hurt? She'll just tell Coulson she's got food poisoning or something- when she walks in behind Sharon and spots Dr. Hall standing behind his desk.

Honestly, Daisy never thought she would be so happy to see Dr. Hall. Really she could kiss him, though she settles for just staring at him in surprise. "Dr. Hall...are you back from your mission?"

Dr. Hall frowns at her. "Try not to sound so excited," he grumbles, not looking up from the folder in his hands.

If he had, he would have seen the huge grin on Daisy's face. And undoubtedly would have puzzled over it for quite some time.

Daisy turns to face Trip, grabbing onto his arm tightly. "This is great! Do you know what this means?"

Trip raises an eyebrow. "That Dr. Hall is back?"

"Yes!" Daisy is already heading for the door, back to her original plan of skipping class and going with the food poisoning story. "It means that Jemma isn't-"

But she stops herself before she can take more than a few steps. It means that Jemma isn't her professor anymore. And it means that Jemma was probably well aware of this fact since this morning. But...she hasn't gotten a text about it or even a heads-up that Dr. Hall was back.

Daisy spirits sink back to their previous floor level status. Maybe she'd been wrong about everything. Maybe Jemma had just needed an excuse and she'd just read everything wrong and maybe she needs to take a hint and leave Jemma alone. Maybe she should let the lack of text messages speak for themselves.

Trip and Sharon are staring at her. "Okay...what just happened?" Trip glances toward Sharon, who just shrugs. "I don't think I've ever seen anyone's mood change that fast."

Daisy doesn't offer up an explanation, shuffling instead toward their usual seat in the back of the room. This is definitely going to be the longest class ever.

Her prediction about the suffering caused by Introduction to Biochemistry is not unfounded. Daisy still can't follow Dr. Hall and the fact that her mind is not on biochem at all doesn't help things. It feels like a day has gone by when the class is finally over and Daisy is stuffing her things into her bag so that she doesn't have to waste another minute in this stupid room.

They step into the hallway and Trip elbows her much too roughly for Daisy's liking. She lifts her head to chew him out but notices something much more interesting: Jemma. Standing in the hallway, watching Daisy and her friends with a tentative smile on her face. Daisy figures that it's surprise alone that keeps her rooted in place.

"So," Jemma says as she walks over to them, "I know I'm not your professor anymore but I thought if you needed a biochemistry tutor that I might offer my services."

Daisy furrows her brow, considering the offer. "Depends," she says finally, "what's the Academy's policy on dating your tutor?"

Jemma smiles. "I think it's pretty lax."

Honestly Daisy is impressed that she's managed to hide her smile until now. She grins, stepping closer to Jemma. "I think I just might need a tutor."

This time it's Jemma who closes the distance between them, kissing her. And it's totally worth the teasing she's going to get from her friends later.


End file.
